the kentons-第9章

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family　rite；　and　he　would　have　excused　himself　if　the　invitation　had　been
of　the　form　that　one　might　decline。　　〃What　do　I　want　to　see　him　for？〃　　he
puffed。　　〃He　never　cared　anything　about　me　in　Tuskingum。　　What's　he　want
here；　anyway？〃

〃I　wish　you　to　come　in；　my　son；〃　said　his　mother；　and　that　ended　it。

Lottie　was　not　so　tractable。　　〃Very　well；　momma；〃　she　said。　　〃But　don't
expect　me　to　speak　to　him。　　I　have　some　little　self…respect；　if　the　rest
of　you　haven't。　　Am　I　going　to　shake　hands　with　him！　　I　never　took　the
least　notice　of　him　at　home；　and　I'm　not　going　to　here。〃

Bittridge　decided　the　question　of　hand…shaking　for　her　when　they　met。　　He
greeted　her　glooming　brother　with　a　jolly　〃Hello；　Boyne！〃　　and　without
waiting　for　the　boy's　tardy　response　he　said　〃Hello；　Lottie！〃　　to　the
girl；　and　took　her　hand　and　kept　it　in　his　while　he　made　an　elaborate
compliment　to　her　good　looks　and　her　gain　in　weight。　　She　had　come
tardily　as　a　proof　that　she　would　not　have　come　in　at　all　if　she　had　not
chosen　to　do　so；　and　Mrs。　Bittridge　was　already　seated　beside　Ellen　on
the　sofa；　holding　her　hand；　and　trying　to　keep　her　mobile；　inattentive
eyes　upon　Ellen's　face。　　She　was　a　little　woman；　youthfully　dressed；　but
not　dressed　youthfully　enough　for　the　dry；　yellow　hair　which　curled
tightly　in　small　rings　on　her　skull；　like　the　wig　of　a　rag…doll。　　Her
restless　eyes　were　round　and　deep…set；　with　the　lids　flung　up　out　of
sight；　she　had　a　lax；　formless　mouth；　and　an　anxious　smile；　with　which
she　constantly　watched　her　son　for　his　initiative；　while　she　recollected
herself　from　time　to　time；　long　enough　to　smooth　Ellen's　hand　between　her
own；　and　say；　〃Oh；　I　just　think　the　world　of　Clarence；　and　I　guess　he
thinks　his　mother　is　about　right；　too；〃　and　then　did　not　heed　what　Ellen
answered。

The　girl　said　very　little；　and　it　was　Bittridge　who　talked　for　all；
dominating　the　room　with　a　large；　satisfied　presence；　in　which　the　judge
sat　withdrawn；　his　forehead　supported　on　his　hand；　and　his　elbow　on　the
table。　　Mrs。　Kenton　held　herself　upright；　with　her　hands　crossed　before
her；　stealing　a　look　now　and　then　at　her　daughter's　averted　face；　but
keeping　her　eyes　from　Mrs。　Bittridge；　who；　whenever　she　caught　Mrs。
Kenton's　glance；　said　something　to　her　about　her　Clarence；　and　how　he
used　to　write　home　to　her　at　Ballardsville　about　the　Kentons；　so　that　she
felt　acquainted　with　all　of　them。　　Her　reminiscences　were　perfunctory；
Mrs。　Bittridge　had　voluntarily　but　one　topic；　and　that　was　herself；
either　as　she　was　included　in　the　interest　her　son　must　inspire；　or　as
she　included　him　in　the　interest　she　must　inspire。　　She　said　that；　now
they　had　met　at　last；　she　was　not　going　to　rest　till　the　Kentons　had　been
over　to　Ballardsville；　and　made　her　a　good；　long　visit；　her　son　had　some
difficulty　in　making　her　realize　that　the　Kentons　were　going　to　Europe。　
Then　she　laughed；　and　said　she　kept　forgetting；　and　she　did　wish　they
were　all　coming　back　to　Tuskingum。

If　it　is　a　merit　to　treat　a　fatuous　mother　with　deference；　Bittridge　had
that　merit。　　His　deference　was　of　the　caressing　and　laughing　sort；　which
took　the　spectator　into　the　joke　of　her　peculiarities　as　something　they
would　appreciate　and　enjoy　with　him。　　She　had　been　a　kittenish　and　petted
person　in　her　youth；　perhaps；　and　now　she　petted　herself；　after　she　had
long　ceased　to　be　a　kitten。　　What　was　respectable　and　what　was　pathetic
in　her　was　her　wish　to　promote　her　son's　fortunes　with　the　Kentons；　but
she　tried　to　do　this　from　not　a　very　clear　understanding　of　her　part；
apparently；　and　little　sense　of　the　means。　　For　Ellen's　sake；　rather　than
hers；　the　father　and　mother　received　her　overtures　to　their　liking
kindly；　they　answered　her　patiently；　and　Mrs。　Kenton　even　tried　to　lead
the　way　for　her　to　show　herself　at　her　best；　by　talking　of　her　journey　on
to　New　York；　and　of　the　city；　and　what　she　would　see　there　to　interest
her。　　Lottie　and　Boyne；　sternly　aloof　together　in　one　of　their　momentary
alliances；　listened　to　her　replies　with　a　silent　contempt　that　almost
included　their　mother；　Kenton　bore　with　the　woman　humbly　and　sadly。

He　was；　in　fact；　rather　bewildered　with　the　situation；　for　which　he　felt
himself　remotely　if　not　immediately　responsible。　　Bittridge　was　there
among　them　not　only　on　good　terms；　but　apparently　in　the　character　of　a
more　than　tolerated　pretendant　to　Ellen's　favor。　　There　were　passages　of
time　is　which　the　father　was　not　sure　that　the　fellow　was　not　engaged　to
his　daughter；　though　when　these　instants　were　gone　he　was　aware　that
there　had　been　no　overt　love…making　between　them　and　Bittridge　had　never
offered　himself。　　What　was　he　doing　there；　then？　　The　judge　asked　himself
that；　without　being　able　to　answer　himself。　　So　far　as　he　could　make　out；
his　wife　and　he　were　letting　him　see　Ellen；　and　show　her　off　to　his
mother；　mainly　to　disgust　her　with　them　both；　and　because　they　were
afraid　that　if　they　denied　her　to　him；　it　would　be　the　worse　for　them
through　her　suffering。　　The　judge　was　not　accustomed　to　apply　the　tests
by　which　people　are　found　vulgar　or　not；　these　were　not　of　his　simple
world；　all　that　he　felt　about　Mrs。　Bittridge　was　that　she　was　a　very
foolish；　false　person；　who　was　true　in　nothing　but　her　admiration　of　her
rascal　of　a　son；　he　did　not　think　of　Bittridge　as　a　rascal　violently；　but
helplessly；　and　with　a　heart　that　melted　in　pity　for　Ellen。

He　longed　to　have　these　people　gone；　not　so　much　because　he　was　so
unhappy　in　their　presence　as　because　he　wished　to　learn　Ellen's　feeling
about　them　from　his　wife。　　She　would　know；　whether　Allen　said　anything　to
her　or　not。　　But　perhaps　if　Mrs。　Kenton　had　been　asked　to　deliver　her
mind　on　this　point　at　once　she　would　have　been　a　little　puled。　　All　that
she　could　see；　and　she　saw　it　with　a　sinking　of　the　heart；　was　that　Ellen
looked　more　at　peace　than　she　had　been　since　Bittridge　was　last　in　their
house　at　Tuskingum。　　Her　eyes　covertly　followed　him　as　he　sat　talking；　or
went　about　the　room；　making　himself　at　home　among　them；　as　if　he　were
welcome　with　every　one。　　He　joked　her　more　than　the　rest；　and　accused　her
of　having　become　a　regular　New…Yorker；　he　said　he　supposed　that　when　she
came　back　from　Europe　she　would　not　know　anybody　in　Tuskingum；　and　his
mother；　playing　with　Ellen's　fingers；　as　if　they　had　been　the　fringe　of　a
tassel；　declared　that　she　must　not　mind　him；　for　he　carried　on　just　so
with　everybody；　at　the　same　time　she　ordered　him　to　stop；　or　she　would　go
right　out　of　the　room。

She　gave　no　other　sign　of　going；　and　it　was　her　son　who　had　to　make　the
movement　for　her　at　last；　she　apparently　did　not　know　that　it　was　her
part　to　make　it。　　She　said　that　now　the　Kentons　must　come　and　return　her
call；　and　be　real　neighborly；　just　the　same　as　if　they　were　all　at　home
together。　　When　her　son　shook　hands　with　every　one　she　did　so　too；　and
she　said　to　each；　〃Well；　I　wish　you　good…morning；〃　and　let　him　push　her
before　him；　in　high　delight　with　the　joke；　out　of　the　room。

When　they　were　gone　the　Kentons　sat　silent；　Ellen　with　a　rapt　smile　on
her　thin；　flushed　face；　till　Lottie　said；　〃You　forgot　to　ask　him　if　we
might　BREATHE；　poppa；〃　and　paced　out　of　the　room　in　stately　scorn；
followed　by　Boyne；　who　had　apparently　no　words　at　the　command　of　his　dumb
rage。　　Kenton　wished　to　remain；　and　he　looked　at　his　wife　for
instruction。　　She　frowned；　and　he　took　this　for　a　sign　that　he　had　better
go；　and　he　went　with　a　light　sigh。

He　did　not　know　what　else　to　do　with　himself；　and　he　went　down　to　the
reading…room。　　He　found　Bittridge　there；　smoking　a　cigar；　and　the　young
man　companionably　offered　to　bestow　one　upon　him；　but　the　judge　stiffly
refused；　saying　he　did　not　wish　to　smoke　just　then。　　He　noted　that
Bittridge　was　still　in　his　character　of　family　favorite；　and　his　hand
trembled　as　he　passed　it　over　the　smooth　knob　of　his　stick；　while　he　sat
waiting　for　the　fellow　to　take　himself　away。　　But　Bittridge　had
apparently　no　thought　of　going。　　He　was　looking　at　the　amusements　for　the
evening　in　a　paper　he　had　bought；　and　he　wished　to　consult　the　judge　as
to　which　was　the　best　theatre　to　go　to　that　night；　he　said　he　wanted　to
take　his　mother。　　Kenton　professed　not　to　know　much　about　the　New　York
theatres；　and　then　Bittridge　guessed　he　must　get　the　clerk　to　tell　him。　
But　still　he　did　not　part　with　the　judge。　　He　sat　down　beside　him；　and
told　him　how　glad　he　was　to　see　his　family　looking　so　well；　especially
Miss　Ellen；　he　could　not　remember　ever　seeing　her　so　strong…looking。　　He
said　that　girl　had　captured　his　mother；　who　was　in　love　with　pretty　much
the　whole　Kenton　family；　though。

〃And　by…the…way；〃　he　added；　〃I　want　to　thank　you　and　Mrs。　Kenton；　judge；
for　the　way　you　received　my　mother。　　You　made　her　feel　that　she　was　among
friends。　　She　can't　talk　about　anything　else；　and　I　guess　I　sha'n't　have
much　trouble　in　making　her　stay　in　New　York　as　long　as　you're　here。　　She
was　inclined　to　be　homesick。　　The　fact　is；　though　I　don't　care　to　have　it
talked　about　yet；　and　I　wish　you　wouldn't　say　anything　to　Dick　about　it
when　you　write　home；　I　think　of　settling　in　New　York。　　I've　been　offered
a　show　in　the　advertising　department　of　one　of　the　big　dailiesI'm　not
at　liberty　to　say　whichand　it's　a　toss…up　whether　I　stay　here　or　go　to
Washington；　I've　got　a　chance　there；　too；　but　it's　on　the　staff　of　a　new
enterprise；　and　I'm　not　sure　about　it。　　I've　brought　my　mother　along　to
let　her　have　a　look　at　both　places；　though　she　doesn't　know　it；　and　I'd
rather　you　wouldn't　speak　of　it　before　her；　I'm　going　to　take　her　on　to
Washington　before　we　go　back。　　I　want　to　have　my　mother　with　me；　judge。　
It's　better　for　a　fellow　to　have　that　home…feeling　in　a　large　place　from
the　start；　it　keeps　him　out　of　a　lot　of　things；　and　I　don't　pretend　to　be
better　than　other　people；　or　not　more　superhuman。　　If　I've　been　able　to
keep　out　of　scrapes；　it's　more　because　I've　had　my　mother　near　me；　and　I
don't　intend　ever　to　be　separated　from　her；　after　this；　till　I　have　a
home　of　my　own。　　She's　been　the　guiding…star　of　my　life。〃

Kenton　was　unable　to　make　any　formal　response；　and；　in　fact；　he　was　so
preoccupied　with　the　question　whether　the　fellow　was　more　a　fool　or　a
fraud　that　he　made　no　answer　at　all；　beyond　a　few　inarticulate　grumblings
of　assent。　　These　sufficed　for　Bittridge；　apparently；　for　he　went　on
contentedly：　〃Whenever　I've　been　tempted　to　go　a　little　wild；　the　thought
of　how　mother　would　feel　has　kept　me　on　the　track　like　nothing　else
would。　　No；　judge；　there　isn't　anything　in　this　world　like　a　good　mother；
except　the　right　kind　of　a　wife。〃

Kenton　rose；　and　said　he　believed　he　must　go　upstairs。　　Bittridge　said；
〃All　right；　I'll　see　you　later；　judge；〃　and　swung　easily　off　to　advise
with　the　clerk　as　to　the　best　theatre。




VI。

Kenton　was　so　unhappy　that　he　could　not　wait　for　his　wife　to　come　to　him
in　their　own　room；　he　broke　in　upon　her　and　Ellen　in　the　parlor；　and　at
his　coming　the　girl　flitted　out；　in　the　noiseless　fashion　which　of　late
had　made　her　father　feel　something　ghostlike　in　her。　　He　was　afraid　she
was　growing　to　dislike　him；　and　trying　to　avoid　him；　and　now　he　presented
himself　quite　humbly　before　his　wif